The present invention relates to a memory cartridge system having an adapter and a memory cartridge, and more particularly to a system used to load a memory cartridge into a reproducing apparatus.
An electronic still camera, which has been available, has a built-in image sensor to take an image of a subject and record analog video signals of the subject in a video floppy. By mounting the video floppy in a reproducing apparatus, images recorded in the video floppy can be viewed on a home television set. Further, by connecting a video printer to the reproducing apparatus, a hard copy of a recorded video image can be made.
Memory cartridges for IC cards, LSI cards and the like are used as an external memory of an electronic apparatus to write digital data therein or read it therefrom. In order to improve the quality of video image, an electronic still camera using a memory cartridge in place of a video floppy has been proposed recently. When a memory cartridge is loaded within a cartridge loading chamber of such a reproducing apparatus, a female connector of the memory cartridge is connected to a male connector mounted within the loading chamber.
It has been desired generally for an electronic still camera to use a small, compact or mini memory cartridge for improved portability and operability. However, this compact memory cartridge cannot be loaded within a reproducing apparatus designed for use with a large sized memory cartridge (herein called a standard memory cartridge). Since two types of reproducing apparatuses are provided, one using a standard memory cartridge and the other using a compact memory cartridge, a user will encounter considerable inconvenience.
If the size of a compact memory cartridge is to be reduced through greater integration of a memory circuit, it is necessary to use a smaller connector than that of a standard memory cartridge. Such a smaller connector cannot be coupled to the connector of a reproducing apparatus.